Indicating circuit controller



1940- J. M. PELI KAN INDICATiNG CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed April 15, 1939 HIS ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNITED S ATES 2,217,526 INDIQATING CIRCUIT CONTROLLER- John M. Pelikan, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Union Switch & Signal Company, 'Swissvale,

Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 13,

1939, Serial No. 267,683

' 6 Claims. (01. I'll-r311) My invention'relates to indicating circuit controllers, and particularly to indicating circuit controllers of the type adapted to be mounted on a control panel-as one of a group of similar units for controlling railway traflic'controlling devices.

In railway trafiic controlling systems of the type wherein a control panel containinga diagram of the track layout is provided with a plurality of circuit controllers for controlling railway traflic controlling devices such as railway switches and signals, it has been found necessary to mount these controllers on a panel sufficiently small 'so as to enable the operator to see and i6 operate each controller without shifting his position. One such system of this type is disclosed and claimed in my copending application for Let ters Patent, Serial No. 118,609, iiledon December 31, 1936, for Railway traflic controlling apparatus. It has also been found necessary that the controllers be provided with means for indicating when the function to be efi'ected by the controller is completed; Inasmuch as the size of the control panel is largely determined by the panel space required for each controller, indicator and by the track layout, it is readily apparent that each controller and its associated indicator should occupy the' least possible panel space, thereby permitting closer spacing of the controllers themselves and of the tracks shown in the track layout. Accordingly, an object of my present invention is the provisionof a novel and improved circuit controller, wherein the controller itself is provided with indicating means 85 integral with such controller.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification progresses.

My invention relates to improvements in circuit controllers of the type described and claimed in an application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 123,014, filed January 29, 1937, by William E. Smith. v

I shall describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and shall then point out the 5 novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a top plan view partially sectional, showing a preferred form of circuit controller embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation view, partially sectional, of the circuit controller shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character J designates as a whole an indicating circuit controller embodying my present invention. 'As herein shown, controller J comprises a support- 66 ing bracket l2 formed on one end with an upturned leg ll having an opening i0 into which a bearing member 9 is threaded. A tubular sleeve member '1 is mounted forlongitudinal sliding movement inbearing 9, and is provided on its outer end (or its right-hand end as viewed in- 6 the drawing) with a removable button 8 adapted to be grasped for manually operating sleeve 1 between two extreme longitudinal positions. The inner end of sleeve 1 is, provided with a collar 13 which is adapted to be engaged by suitable 0 biasing means for biasing sleeve 1 to a normal position intermediate its two extreme positions.

i The biasing means for sleeve 1 may take any of many suitable forms, and in the form herein shown comprises two pairs of flat spring mem- 1 bers M. The springs IQ for each pair of springs are spaced apart by spacing members Ma, and are so arranged that one spring It for each pair bears against one side of collar 13 and the other spring I 4 for each pair bears against the other 20 side of collar l3. It is readily apparent, therefore, that when sleeve 1 is moved in one longitudinal direction or the other, one spring or the other of each pair of springs will be actuated from its normal position to a position wherein 25 the springs exert a biasing force upon collar I3- sufiicient to restore member 1 to its normal positionwhen the force actuating sleeve 1 is removed. Each of the pairs of biasing springs is secured to the front leg I I of bracket l2 by means of tap 0 screws l5, and each pair of springs is spaced from leg II by means of spacing. members b so proportioned as to dispose the springs M in the preyiously described biasing engagement with collar i3 of sleeve 1.

Secured within sleeve 1 for movement with the sleeve between its two longitudinal positions is an operating member 5. Memberli is preferably mounted in sleeve 1 with its outer end substantially flush with the outer face of button 8 secured on the right-hand end of sleeve 1, and extends through sleeve 1 to project fromthe inner end of thesleeve into engagement with a set of contacts S (hereinafter referred to in detail) for selectively operating the contacts in accordance with the position of member 5. The member 5 is formed throughout its length of a translucent insulating material possessing suflicient mechanical strength to operate'the aforementioned: set of contacts. Member 5 may, for example, be 50 formed of glass, quartz, or of any one of many suitable forms of synthetic plastics. The inner or left-hand end ofmember 5 is mounted in a bearing member 16 which is secured by rivets I1 to bracket l2 in axial alignment with sleeve 1.

' other by means of Member is formed intermediate its inner end and sleeve 1 with a light deviating surface 4 of such configuration that light rays from one or more sources of light disposed adjacent member 5 are deviated by the surface in such manner as to be transmitted by member 5 to its outer or indication end. As shown, surface 4 is refractive; and two indication lamps 29 are disposed one on each side of member 5 in sockets 3| supported by bracketsl32 secured to supporting bracket l2. The lamps 29 are preferably colored one green and the other red so that member 5 may display distinctive indications one'for each lamp and to agree with the usual practice in the railway signaling art. As was pointed out heretoiore, each lamp 29 usually will be governed by the particular form of railway. trafijic controlling apparatus which is controlled by circuit controller J, over circuits which are omitted from the drawing since they form no part of my present invention. As shown, a removable shield 33 also is provided for indication lamps 29 within an opaque envelope. Shield 33 is preferably removably secured to bracket I 2 by means of spring clips 34.

The inner or left-hand end of member 5 is formed with an integral cam 6 which is adapted to selectively operate contacts in accordance with the position of the cam. The set of 'contacts S may comprise any desired combination of contact closing or contact opening members, but as here shown comprises a group of Jfixed cont-act fingers I8, I 9 and 20 provided respectively with fixed metallic stops ma, Ilia and 20a for limiting the movement of the associated contact finger, and en-,

gage'd respectively by movable contact fingers 2|, 22 and 23. These fixed and movable contact fingers are suitably insulated from each a plurality of insulating blocks 24 and 24a, and are secured together by means of screws 25, provided with insulating bushings 250, which pass through each insulating block to be engaged by a retaining member 26 provided with openings into which screws 25 are threaded. The set of contacts S is secured to bracket l2 by means of rivets 21 which pass'through openings provided in integral extensions formed on the outer insulating blocks 24a, and'which are riveted into registering openings formed in bracket I 2. As can readily be seen from an inspection of Fig. 1, movable contact finger 23 is provided on its end with an arcuate bend adapted to be engaged by cam 6 when operating member 5 is actuatedito its outer, or right hand extreme position. The movement of member 5 to its outer position will be limited as shown by the engagement of a collar 30, formed on sleeve 1, with the rear face of bearing 9. With operating member 5 moved to its extreme outer position, the engagement of cam 6 with contact finger 23 moves that finger out of engagement with its associated'fixed contact finger 20. Movable contact finger 22 shown in Fig. l is provided on its end with an arcuate bend adapted to be engaged by cam 6 when operating member 5 is actuated to its inner or left-hand extreme position. The movement of member 5 to its inner position will be limited by the rear face of button 8 engaging the forward face of bearing 9. With operating member 5 moved to its extreme inner position, the engagement of cam 6 with contact finger 22 moves that finger into engagement with fixed contact moves contact finger 2| finger I9, and also into engagement with controller J to enclose the the aforementioned set of.

contact finger l8, the movement of finger 22 being transmitted to finger 2| by means of aninsulating member 28 secured to the latter finger and engaging finger 22. From the foregoing description, it is readily apparent that when operatingmember 5 is moved 1170 its extreme outer Position, contacts l8-2|, I 9--22 and 2023 are open; when operating member is moved to its extreme inner position, contacts l8-2l, |9-22 and 20-23 are closed; and when operating member is in its normal or intermediate position, contacts l82| and I 922'--are open and contact 20-23 is closed. It follows, therefore, that the set of contacts S is selectively controlled in accordance with the position of operating member 5. i

As shown in the drawing, a circuit controller J constructed in the manner just described may be readily mounted upon a control panel, here designated by the reference character P. In order to mount controller J on panel P, the panel is provided with an opening 35 which receives the forward end of bearing 9, and is provided with other openings through which screws 3.! are the panel. In mounting controller J on panel P, it might be necessary to remove button 8 from the outer end of sleeve 1 prior to inserting such sleeve into opening 35 of the panel. In order to readily permit the button 8 to'be attached to and removed from sleeve 1, the button is provided with internal threads adapted to engage matching threads formed on the exterior of sleeve 1. It is readily apparent that with controller J mounted on panel P in the manner just described, the end of operating memberv 5 provided with button 8 will extend through the panel so that end so that an indication corresponding to the indication of the lamp then illuminated is displayed at the indication end of such member.

From the foregoing description of the manner in which-a circuit. controller embodying my invention is constructed, it is readily apparent that I have provided an indicating circuit controller form of indicating circuit controller requiring a. minimum amount of panel out its length of translucent material, s'aid member being provided on one end with an actuator, contacts disposed adjacent said one end of said member for operation by said actuator, in response to movement of said member, and means including a source of light disposed adjacent said member and a refractive surface formed onsaid member intermediate its two ends for causing light rays from said source to be refracted at said surface in such manner as to cause the other end of said member to be illuminated.

2. In an indicating circuit controller in combination, an operating member of transparent material disposed for movement between at least i two positions and formed intermediate its two ends with a refractive surface, an actuator secured to one end of said member, contacts operatively associated with said member for operation by said actuator in response to 'nrovement of said member, and a lamp disposed adjacent said refractive surface in such-manner that light rays from said source after refraction at said surface are caused to illuminate the other end of said member. I

3. In an indicating circuit controller, the combination of a transparent operating member supported intermediate its two endsfand provided on one end with an actuator adapted to operate circuit controlling contacts in response to movement of said member caused by forces applied eat the other end of said member, said member having a light deviating surfaceformed thereon intermediate its said one end and its point of support, and a source of light disposed adjacent said surface for illuminating said other end of said member by rays deviated at said surface.

4. In an indicating circuit controller of the I type adapted when mounted on the rear' of a control panel to be controlled from the front of such panel, the combination with a. supporting bracket provided with an end adapted to be secured to the rear face of a control panel and having an opening in said end aligned with an opening insaid panel, and contacts secured to said bracket, of an operating member mounted intermediate its two ends in the opening of said bracket for movement between at least two positions and having one end thereof proiectingio the front face of said panel and having its other end provided witlr an-actuator for controlling said contacts in response to a movement of said member, said operating member being formed of light transmitting material and being providedwith a light refracting surface intermediate its said other end and its point of mounting, and a source of light secured to said bracket in such manner that rays emitted therefrom are refracted into said member at said surface in such direction as to illuminate said one end of said member.\

5. In an indicating circuit'cohtroller, the combination with a supporting bracket provided on one end with anupturned leg having an open-- ing, of a transparent operating member supported intermediate its two ing and being provided on one end withan \ends in said open--- actuator for controlling contacts securedv to said bracket, a source of lightbecured to *said bracket adjacenosaidoperating member, and a light deviating surface provided for said operating member intermediate its said one end and its point of support for directing rays from said source into said member in such manner as to illuminate the other end of said member.

6. A circuit controller of the class wherein an operating member movable in response to a force applied to one end of said member between an intermediate biased position and either of two extreme positions selectively controls circuit controlling contacts through the medium of an actuator secured to the other end of said member, characterized by the fact that a source of light is disposed adjacent said operating member intermediate its two ends and that said operating member is formed of light transmitting material and is provided with a light refracting surface of such contour that rays from said source are refracted at said surface in such manner as to be transmitted by said member to its said one end. 

